Some foreign visitors will get the chance to travel visa-free to China, as the latter has announced the expansion of its 15-day visa-free entry to six more additional European countries.
In this regard, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that following the visa facilitation, citizens from Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg can travel visa-free to China, VisaGuide.World reports.
From March 14 to November 30, 2024, citizens holding regular passports from specified nations will enjoy visa-free entry into China for various purposes, including business, tourism, visiting family and friends, and transit.
This initiative reflects China’s dedication to streamlining entry procedures for international visitors, which is in line with the goals outlined in the 2024 Government Work Report.
We are willing to cooperate with the competent authorities to promote the negotiation and signing of more high-standard free trade agreements, expand the global free trade zone network, and maintain the stability and smoothness of the global industrial chain supply chain data chain.
China’s Minister Affirms Support for International Cooperation Platforms
The Minister also emphasized China’s commitment to collaborating on the successful hosting of international cooperation platforms such as the China International Import Expo, China Service Trade Fair, Consumer Expo, and Chain Expo.
According to him, this collaborative effort aims to enhance the market-oriented, legal, and international business environment, thereby fostering stable expectations for investors and partners from diverse countries and ensuring longer-term benefits.
In January 2024, China signed a reciprocal agreement with Thailand and Singapore for a permanent waiver of tourist visa requirements for citizens of both nations, effective this month. Additionally, in November of last year, China unveiled a trial program to permit visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia to enter the country visa-free for 15 days. This initiative grants them visa-free access from December 1, 2023, until November 30, 2024.
While travelers from the United States still require a tourist visa to enter China, recent measures have been implemented to ease restrictions. As of January 1, 2024, they are no longer obligated to furnish proof of a round-trip flight booking, a hotel reservation, an organized itinerary, or an invitation letter.
The Chinese embassy in Washington announced these updated guidelines on December 29, 2023, citing a desire to “further facilitate people-to-people exchanges.”
Over 200,000 Visitors From 6 Countries Benefited From Visa-Free Entry in December 2023
The decision to eliminate entry visas for citizens of six countries – France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia – has proven successful for Chinese tourism. In December alone, this visa-free regime attracted a total of 118,000 visitors from these countries.
Data released by China’s National Immigration Administration reveals that during December 2023, 214,000 individuals from these six countries entered China, with over half taking advantage of the visa-free arrangement.